I wasn't a teenager at this time period, but it's still a neat look back into early 50's hot rod culture and racing clubs. It's worth it for the footage of the custom coups alone.

This was a good film for 1952. However, not all teenagers interested in cars could afford such a hobby even in that era.

Not that I'm from that era, but the film demonstrates the reasons and beginnings of hot rodding venues such as drag strips and land speed venues. I was surprised to see film of speed trials at El Mirage. Way cool for a gearhead that missed out on the beginning of the sport.

There are a few minor life lessons as well: realizing two heads are better than one, comraderie will take you farther than lone wolfing it, and why spend money on a girlfriend when you can work on your car (just joking).

Teenager Mel burns rubber on city streets with his girlfriend Thera at his side. This film shows us an alternative for boys like Mel: drag racingÃÂa way for adolescent boys to blow off steam and stay out of trouble. Drag racing courses were commonplace on the outskirts of American towns in the fifties. It was a way to get teenagers off the streets and for landowners to get some money from unused acreage.

By the end of the film, MelÃÂs won a trophy and Thera is nowhere to be found. And no wonder. MelÃÂs traded in his snappy convertible for a souped-up heap and is spending all his time tinkering with his car and hanging around with his new friend Dave. WhatÃÂs in it for Thera? Nothing. LetÃÂs hope she went out and bought her own convertible. Maybe that traffic cop we saw in the beginning of the film will pull her over. HeÃÂs a better prospect for her than Mel.

Way too proposterously innocous film about Drag racing. Through the often patronizing narration, we learn of a lad who learns other ways to get his kicks through speeding, by joining the drag racing club! This has almost the exact same plot as another (better) film on the site, A Cool Hot Rod. It's sort of interesting how he's got a girlfriend at the beginning of this film, yet when the final race comes along, the girl is nowhere to be seen. Well then! Cheaply made (love the "car in motion" shots), badly narrated ("These boys today will be men tommorow!" uh huh) this is as if Coronet made a Sid Davis film.

Interesting stuff for petrolheads and social scientists alike! This short film shows how 1950's 'outlaw hot-rodders' were regulated into civil society. Ironically, the exact same measures are now being taken in Europe with regards to the 'illegal street-races'. By the way, this film has an all-american happy end.